Volkswagen has launched “Night Driving”, a TV ad for the VW Golf. A man drives through the streets at night to the sounds of “Don’t Blow It” from the Solaris soundtrack by Cliff Martinez. Richard Burton provides the voiceover: an excerpt from the Dylan Thomas play for voices: “Under Milk Wood”. The super: “When was the last time you just went for a drive? The Volkswagen Night Driving ad connects viewers to the microsite: www.night-driving.com
Click on the image below to play the Night Driving video.
Richard Burton recorded “Under Milkwood” for BBC radio in 1963. The narrative tells the story of the people of Llareggub (read it backwards).
“And all the people of the lulled and dumbfound town are sleeping now.
Hush, the babies are sleeping, the farmers, the fishers, the tradesmen and pensioners, cobbler, schoolteacher, postman and publican, the undertaker and the fancy woman, drunkard, dressmaker, preacher, policeman, the webfoot cocklewomen and the tidy wives. Young girls lie bedded soft or glide in their dreams, with rings and trousseaux, bridesmaided by glow-worms down the aisles of the organ-playing wood….
You can hear the dew falling, and the hushed town breathing. Only your eyes are unclosed to see the black and folded town fast, and slow, asleep…”
Read the rest of the script and hear the whole play at www.undermilkwood.net.
Credits
The Volkswagen Night Driving spot was developed at DDB UK, London, by art director Shishir Patel, copywriter Sam Oliver, agency producer Lucinda Ker.
Filming was directed by Noam Murro via Biscuit Filmworks / Independent, London, with executive producers Shawn Lacy Tessaro, Eric Stern and Richard Packer, producer Jay Veal, director of photography Paul Cameron.
Post Production was done at Framestore by Alex Thomas. Editor was Tim Thornton-Allan at Marshall Street, London.
Music is “Don’t blow it” by Cliff Martinez, featured in the soundtrack for Solaris.
HaHaha
I went for a night drive misses was over looking after her mum for the night i needed some milk (time qurter to 12) got the milk from garage nice night so i thought i would go for a drive over Hailing Is in my MX5 got no more then 1 mile got follwed by POLICE stopped and had a breath test (i do NOT drink) told me if the gagget turns green i would be arested SO MUCH FOR A FREE SOICITY IT STINKS.
I’m trying to compare this recording with the the recording I have bought and they are somehow different in tone, tempo, slight pronuctiation and stress. Do you think I different recording of Burton was used or they digitally configured the original recording
Wonderful to hear Richard Burton’s beautiful voice reading Dylan Thomas instead of the usual loud music accompanying this genre of commercial. Jamie, I think the original recording has probably been digitally remastered, but I don’t think it detracts from the original. Perhaps it’s taken from the Radio 4 soundtrack which was broadcast 2 or 3 years ago.
What a fabulous commercial. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up whenever I watch/listen to the soundtrack and Burton’s inimitable voice. Creative genius!